Nesting basket construction



Dec. 13, 1960 J. c. PFEFFER 2,964,211

NESTING BASKET CONSTRUCTION Filed May 5, 1958 INVENTOR.

John Clarence Pfeffer Attorneys NESTING BASKET CONSTRUCTION John Clarence Pfetfer, Piedmont, Calif., assignor to-Safeway Stores, Incorporated, Oakland, Calif., a corporation of Maryland Filed May '5, 1958,"Ser. No. 733,067

6 Claims. '(Cl. 220419) This invention relates generally tobaskets and trays,

:and particularly toanesting basket construction: for

use in the transporting and storage of crushable items of merchandise.

In the handling of many items of merchandise, particularly foods and other such items, it is frequently desirable to provide a protective basket to; prevent crushing or damage to the merchandise. Such basket is used to protect the merchandise during theperiod ofshipment or storage prior to marketing, and then is generally returned to the original shipping point. During ..the return trip the empty baskets occupy considerable space, and nesting type baskets are sometimes-used in an elfort to conserve valuable shippingand-storage space. However, because of a number of problems presented, these baskets have not proved entirely satisfactory. in use. One difiiculty is that'the baskets are not readily stacked in a secure merchandise carrying position, and-tend to slide or topple'sideWays-causing an undesired accidental discharge of the merchandise. Another: difficultyis. that the baskets do not nest properly, on employ'expensive hard-to use collapsing mechanisms to achievethe nesting functions. A basketconstruction that would solve these problems would therefore-beofgreat benefit: to the art.

In general it is an object of the present invention to improve upon the constructionof nesting baskets, particularly with respectto means of preventing. shifting of thebaskets, either laterally or longitudinally, when the baskets are in a stacked merchandisecarryingposition.

It'is another object of the invention to provide a basket construction of'the above type which will permit a-ready nesting-f baskets-having substantially the samerectangular configuration and dimensions.

Another object'of' the inventionis-to provide a nesting basket construction that "will act-positively topprotect such merchandise as is containedwithinits framework, when in a stacked carrying position.

A further object of the invention--isk to provide a nesting basket construction that isvru'gged, durable, easily manufactured and which employs normoving-parts.

Additional objects and advantagesv of" the. invention will appear from the following-descriptionaand.fronrthe drawings in which:

Figure l is a-view in perspective of a basket construction embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a viewin elevationshowingseveral baskets arranged in a stacked carrying-position;

Figure 3 is a like view, illustrating the manner of nesting the baskets-whennot in use.

In terms of broad inclusion, a'nesting'basket'of the present invention comprises a pairzof unitary substantially rectangular upper and lower "frames: eachv having'long and short sides, and side frame means'fjoining such frames to provide the basket construction. Each of themlong sides of the upper frame has apair of upperprojections spaced from one another a distance; greater than the the length of the short side, whereas each ofrthe long sides of v the lower frame-is providedwith at-pairr of 2,964,211 Patented Dec. 13, 1960 "ice . In other respects the upper andlower frames are substantially .identical' in construction and size, the lower frame being slightlysmaller in size as appearing hereinafter. The side frame means preferably .include a plurality of linear segments arranged symmetrically along a side in a downwardly taperingconfiguration. This construction allows:the.side frametsegrnents of one'basket vto. nestingly receive .the side, frame. segments of: adjacent basketssin arrested-parallel relation of the baskets. .In across stacked or carrying position of thebaskets, :the projections of-the' upper frame prevent longitudinal sliding of anv upper adjacent basketrin like fashion the recessesv ofv the lower frame prevent-lateral sliding of a lower'adjacent basket. As aresult-the effects of swaying or .lurching movementsin transport; tending to :topple a stack of baskets or otherwise ,causefdamage. to'the supported merchandise,- are reduced to a minimum.

Referringto the drawings in detail, 10 represents. a nesting basket construction which .may be .stacked'in: a carrying position, as illustrated 'in Figure 2, or in a'nested position, as illustrated in Figure 3. -.Each.-of--the basket constructions comprises an upper frame 12. and alower frame '14. Thegupper, frame-is substantially -rectangular andtis preferablybent vfroma-single piece of wire or tubing-to provide long sides '16.;3-1'1d. short. sides 18- as illustrated. Each of thelong sides 161s providedwith a pair: ofv upward projections 20, preferably bent from the material of the frame. T heseiprojections-are spaced from one another. along the-side a. distancexdetermined to.-be greater than the-length-of a shortssideof the basket.

, The lower frame '14 'canbe ,similarlyffabricated toprovideilong sides 22 and short sides-24. Each long side 22'is provided adjacent itsend with a recessz26, which also is preferably bent from thexmaterialqof the :frame.

The recesses 26 :of a side arespaeed fI'Ol'H'OHQ'fiHOthCI' in suchffashion that the inner-portions; 27:;arexat a distance slightly less than the length'of a'short side of the basket. As -previouslyr. indicated thezwsidese 16-3, and

18 'ofthe npperframe' 12.,are slightly longer-than the correspondingsides 22 and 24 of the lowerframe 14.

. The upperand lower frames are subsanti'ally parallel to one another and arejoined bya plurality of linear segments '30. WhlChrCOHSllltUtG the side frames of-the basket. Preferably the segments of each side of the basket arearranged in planes substantially perpendicular to-the :planes of the ;upper and lower frames-,-.fwith the segments-of each side-being symmetrically-arranged in a downwardly tapering configuration, .as is best, illustrated -.in- Figure 2.

In this arrangement; the;1oute1:"dimension 'or "length of the lower *framerrl4, :meas'uredti between the-outersurfaces .ofthe; sides 24;-plusjthe :thickness or diameter .of-linearsegments 30 011; each 611d,TllS substantially the same: as the" internalidimerisionx or:;.length of the upper frame '12" measured betweenethe inner surfaces of thesides 18,- and similarly, the outer dimension 'or width of the lower'rframe 14', measuredvbetween the outer surfaces of :the sides 22;plus the: thickness or diameter of the linear segments' fiil:onyeach,side, issubstantiallythe same: as the-internal dimension or width of the-upper framei12vmeasur'ed'betwen the innersu'rfaces ofthe'sides'16. ..ThlS construction permits aznesting of a "plurality: of: traysylwhen :arranged in a parallel stacked relation, as;illustrated'inFigure 3. .The linear-segments J 300i. adjacent baskets. liein thei'same plane. As an upper basket is being/lowered into nesting relation with x a lower basket; the lower endof each rod of zthesegments 60in the upper basket is"disposedbetwenztherzupper ends-of the rods of the-segments 30 'in -,the lowerrbasket 'and lie-inthe-sameplane. .The upper basket ielowered into. the lower basket :until the sides of the-segments. 30

' in the upper basket engage the sides of the corresponding segments in the lower basket, as shown in Fig. 2, which limits the nesting relation. This engagement of segments of the upper and lower baskets takes place on all four sides. As will be observed each symmetrical pair of segments 30 on a side are received by a cooperating pair of symmetrical segments in the basket next above or below. Preferably the upper ends 29 of the segments are secured inwardly adjacent the upper frame 12 and the lower ends 31 of the segments are secured outwardly adjacent the lower frame 14 to facilitate this nesting function. This construction is best illustrated in Figure 1.

In the arrangement described above, the planes of the segments 30 are disposed perpendicularly of the planes of the upper and lower frames, and the segments 30 on one side are disposed parallel with the segments on the opposite side of a basket. It is evident, however, that the lower frame 14 could be made smaller than shown in the drawings and described above, which would result in a tapering of the planes of the segments 30. This arrangement, however, would not interfere with the nesting operation, wherein superimposed baskets would come to rest, in nested relation, with the sides of the rods of the segments 30 of the upper basket engaging the sides of the rods of the corresponding segments 30 of the lower basket.

To complete the basket construction a plurality of cross bracing members 32 and 34 can be provided in any suitable relationship to provide a bottom or supporting base to the basket construction. Preferably this bottom is slighly raised above the lower frame 14 so that cross stacking of the baskets can be readily accomplished in the manner hereinafter to be described One or more side reinforcing members 36 can also be provided, as may be necessary. Where provided, the reinforcing members 36 can be so disposed as to engage the upper edges of an upward projection 20 of an adjacent basket at the same time that the segments are brought into engagement, as shown in Fig. 3, to prevent wedging or jamming between adjoining baskets.

In the use of the device as just described, the baskets can be filled with merchandise and stacked for shipment or storage as illustrated in Figure 3. In the stacked position, the merchandise within the baskets is protected from impact or other damage during all normal handling of the rigid framework of the carrying basket. By way of illustration, 2. palleted stack of loaded baskets can be easily lifted and moved about by means of a fork-lift truck or in fact, by any suitable handling device. During such handling, no shifting of the baskets can occur in any direction, the shifting being prevented by the cooperation of the pairs of projections 20 in the long sides of the upper frame and the pairs of recesses 26 provided in the long sides of the lower frame. It will be understood that in the cross stacked position illustrated, the projections and recesses of the opposed contacting frames 12 and 14 of the baskets firmly engage one another to prevent shifting either laterally or longitudinally. When the merchandise reaches its ultimate destination, and is unloaded from the baskets, the baskets may be advantageously nested in the position illustrated in Figure 3. The nesting operation is facilitated by the substantially self-nesting characteristic of the pairs of linear segments 30 which make up the sides of the baskets. Since a stack of nested trays, as in Figure 3, will occupy less than half the space of the stacked trays, as in Figure 2, a maximum use of available space is made possible. This is a factor of considerable economic importance since the shipping or storage space saved by the nesting can be employed for other purposes.

The many advantages of the present invention can be summarized as follows: The baskets have large carrying capacity yet are easily nested in a parallel stacked relation. The baskets have a self-nesting characteristic and in a nested position occupy less than half their total volume. During a normal carrying use, and in a cross stacked carrying position, the possibility of shifting of the baskets in such manner as to cause toppling of the stack is virtually eliminated. Relatively heavy gauge Wire or rodding can be employed in making the baskets, without reliance on comparatively weak mesh work or on expensive machined frame members for the nesting function. The baskets can also advantageously be fabricated in a substantially square or rectangular form that facilitates the storage of mechandise in the basket, and which eliminates the problems normally encountered with conventional tapered types of nesting baskets.

I claim:

1. In a nesting basket construction, a unitary substantially rectangular upper frame and a unitary substantially rectangular lower frame, said frames being substantially identical in size and parallel to one another, and side frames connecting said upper and lower frames, said side frames being perpendicular to the planes of said upper and lower parallel frames to thereby provide a basket of substantially rectangular configuration, each of said side frames consisting of linear segments arranged symmetrically on the sides of the basket so as to taper towards the centers of the sides from top to bottom, whereby each perpendicular side frame is adapted to be nestingly received within a corresponding side frame of another similar basket construction, when the basket constructions are arranged in parallel nesting relation, and whereby the linear segments of one basket engage the corresponding linear segments of an adjacent basket to limit the nesting relationship.

2. In a nesting basket construction, a unitary substantially rectangular upper frame, a unitary substantially rectangular lower frame, said frames being parallel to one another and each having long and short sides, the dimensions of the lower frame being slightly less than the corresponding dimensions of the upper frame, and perpendicular side frame means joining said upper and lower frames into a basket construction of substantially rectangular configuration, said side frame means consisting of linear segments secured inwardly adjacent the upper frame and outwardly adjacent to the lower frame, the linear segments of each side frame means being symmetrically arranged to taper inwardly from top to bottom, whereby a perpendicular side frame means can be nestingly received within a corresponding, perpendicular side frame means of another similar basket construction, and whereby the linear segments of one basket engage the corresponding linear segments of an adjacent basket to limit the nesting relationship.

3. The basket construction of claim 2 wherein each long side of the upper frame is provided with a pair of upward projections spaced from one another a distance greater than the length of the short side, whereby in a cross stacked relation of the baskets, the upper basket will be prevented from shifting longitudinally of the lower basket.

4. The device of claim 3, including a reinforcing member disposed intermediate the upper and lower frames and surrounding said linear segments, said reinforcing member being disposed in a position to engage the upward projections of a lower basket, when in nested relation, simultaneously with the engagement of the linear segments, to prevent jamming between nested baskets.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein each long side of a lower frame is provided with a pair of recesses having inner portions spaced from one another a distance slightly less than the length of a short side, whereby when said baskets are arranged in cross stacked relation, an upper basket will be prevented from shifting laterally of a lower basket.

6. In a nesting basket construction, a unitary substantially rectangular upper frame having long and short sides, each long side having a pair of upper projections spaced from one another a distance greater than the length of the short side, a unitary substantially rectangular lower frame also having long and short sides, each long side of said lower frame having a pair of recesses having inner portions spaced from one another a distance slightly less than the length of a short side, said upper and lower frames being parallel to one another and, the dimensions of the lower frame being slightly less than the corresponding dimensions of the upper frame, and substantially perpendicular side frame means joining said lower and upper frames to form a substantially rectangular basket nestable with other similar baskets in a stacked parallel relation, said perpendicular side frame means each including a plurality of linear segments symmetrically arranged along the side so as to taper toward the center of the side frame from top to bottom, said linear segments each being secured at its upper end to the outer edge of said upper frame and at its lower end to the outer edge of said lower frame, whereby the linear segments of one basket engage the corresponding linear segments of an adjacent basket to limit the nesting relationship, and whereby the projections on said upper frame and the recesses on said lower frame allowing said baskets to be cross stacked with other baskets in such manner as to resist shifting in either a lateral or a longitudinal direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Materials and Methods, vol. 32, issue 4, page 32, pub. date October 1950.

U.S. Royalite tote box which stacks and nests. 

